Illuminated combination level



l-:TAL 2,825,144

Filed nee. 5, 195e l I l I. M ,.IIUII L VM m f. m Il. m I I I w I au 1 v\5\\.w-// mm wl s mm e VAE-we. IMI MM /WS Il WT I Mx g y, l vv March 4,1958 J. w. wARDEN, SR.;

ILLUMINATED COMBINATION LEVEL ILLUMINATED COMBINATION LEVEL J ohn W.Warden, Sr., and Forrest E. Major, El Paso, Tex.

Application December 5, 1956, Serial No. 626,543

6 Claims. (Cl. 33-213) This invention relates to measuring instrumentsand more particularly to a combination illuminated level which may beutilized to determine the aspect of horizontal, vertical or inclinedobjects or members.

Numerous types of levels of this general character have heretofore beenproposed and utilized, but, in general, these have been relativelycostly instruments, particularly where means has been provided todetermine the angular relationship of an inclined member to thehorizontal or vertical and, furthermore, these prior art instrumentshave required relatively good light in which to utilize the same, sincethe level tubes are usually located in recesses and observation of thebubble therein is relatively diicult in poor lighting conditions.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an illuminatedcombination level which may be conveniently and economically constructedfrom readily available materials and of sucient strength to maintain ahigh degree of accuracy.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an illuminatedcombination level which may be utilized to determine the aspect ofhorizontal, vertical or inclined members or objects and including Xedaspect indicating devices, as well as an adjustable aspect indicatingdevice.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of anilluminated combination level including aspect indieating devices and aself-contained source of illumination, including an electric lamp, abattery and a switch for controlling operation of the lamp therebypermitting eiiicient use of the instrument in poor lighting conditions.

. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an illuminated combination levelconstructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 a top plan view of the level shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 4 a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

With continued reference to the drawing, there is shown an illuminatedcombination level constructed in accordance with this invention andwhich may well comprise an elongated hollow body having a top wall 11, abottom wall 12, sidewalls 13 and 14 and end walls 15 and 16. These wallsmay be formed of wood, plastic or any other suitable material and areassembled together in any suitable manner to provide an elongated hollowbox forming the body 10.

t vThe top wall 11 is provided with a transverse slot 17 disposedsubstantially midway of the length thereof and extending between theside edges of the top wall. Semicircular openings 18 and 19 are providedin the upper edges of the sidewalls 13 and 14 respectively and suchsemi-circular openings are in alignment with the transverse slot 17.Transparent members 2t) and 21 are secured to the sidewalls 13 and 14respectively and serve to nited States Patent vI?. close thesemi-circular openings 18 and 19. A viewing slot 22 is provided in aplate 23 secured to the top wall 11 by screw threaded fastening means orthe like 24 and closing the transverse slot 17. Secured to the plate 23below the viewing slot 22 is a level tube 25 which may be formed ofglass or transparent plastic and containing a suitable liquid having anindicating bubble 26 therein.

The bubble 26 will-be clearly visible through the viewing slot 22 andalso through the transparent members 20 and 21 closing thesemi-circularopenings 1S and 19. The level tube 25 and bubble 26 are utilized todetermine the aspect of a substantially horizontal object or member.

Aligned apertures 27 and 28 are provided in the sidewalls'13 and 14respectively, between the transverse slot 17 and the end wall 15, and itis to be noted that the aperture 27 is of somewhat larger diameter thanthe aperture 28. Disposed in the aperture 23 is a bearing member 29having a flange 3i) secured to the sidewall 14' by screw threaded orother suitable fastening means 31. Disposed in the aperture 27 is atransparent bearing member 32 provided with a flange 33 which is securedto the sidewall 13 by screw threaded or other fastening means 34. Thetransparent flange 33 of the bearing 32 is provided by a degree scale 34engraved, embossed or otherwise applied thereto and the purpose of thisscale will presently appear. It is also to be noted, that thetransparent bearing 32 is provided with an annular recess 36, thepurpose of which will presently appear.

Rotatably mounted in the bearings 29 and 32 is a trans` parent hollowcylinder 37 which may be formed of plastic or other suitable materialand it is to be noted, that the end 38 of the' cylinder 37 projectsoutwardly of the flange 33 of the bearing 32. A cap 39 is adjustablysecured on the projecting end 3S of the cylinder 37 by a set screw orother suitable means 4t) and the cap 39 is provided with an annularflange 41 which is rotatably received in the annular recess 36 in thebearing member 32. The flange 41 may be provided with one or more indexmarks 42 which serve to indicate the angular relationship between thecylinder 37 and the degree scale 35 on the fiange 33 of the bearing 32.

A level tube 43 is diametrically disposed within the .cylinder 37 and issecured thereto substantially midway between the sidewalls 13 and 14.The level tube 43 may be formed of glass, plastic or any other suitablematerial and is lled with the usual liquid and provided with anindicating bubble 44. The cap 39 is formed of transparent material andalso provided in the top wall 11 of the body 1t) is a viewing window 45of suitable transparent material and consequently, the bubble 44 in thelevel tube 43 may be observed, either through the window 45 or throughthe transparent cap 39 secured to the projecting end of the cylinder 37.

It will be seen that with the lower surface of the bottom wall 12engaging an inclined object, upon rotation of the cylinder 37 to bringthe level tube 43 into horizontal position, the angle of inclination ofthe inclined object may be determined by reading such inclination on thescale 35 opposite the index mark 42. In this manner, any angle ofinclination to either side of the vertical may be determined.

Aligned apertures 46 and 47 are provided in the sidewalls 13 and 14 ofthe body 10 between the transverse slot 17 and the end wall 16 and xedin the apertures 46 and 47 is a transparent hollow cylinder 4S which maybe secured in place by circular plates 49 and 50 secured to thesidewalls 13 and 14 in any suitable manner. The plates 49 and 50 may beprovided with apertures 51 and 52 respectively through which theopposite ends of the transparent cylinder- 4S are visible. A level tube53 is secured in the cylinder 43 at substantially right angles to thebottom wall l2 and the level -tube 53 may be formed of glass, plastic orany other suitable material and is lled with the usual liquid andprovided with an indicating bubble 54. The leveltube 53 and indicatingbubble 54 serve to indicate the aspect of `a substantially verticalmember when engaged by the bottorn'surface of the bottom wall 12. Theends of the cylinder 48 may be closed, but if desired, viewing windows55 and 56 may be held in place by the plates 49 and 50 and through themthe level tube 53 may be observed.

A source of illumination is provided for permitting operation of thelevel of this invention in poor light conditions and such source maywell comprise an electric lamp 57 mounted on a suitable bracket 58secured to the bottom wall 12 substantially midway of the length thereofand the bracket 58 may also provide means for securing in place abattery 59 which may be connected by suitable conductors 60 to the lamp57 and to a switch 61 mounted in the top wall 11 of the body 10 forconvenient access to the use Operation of the switch 6l to close thecircuit to the lamp 57 will result in energizing the same and theillumination therefrom will serve to illuminate all of the level devicesprovided in the instrument of this invention and the level tubes 25, d3and 53 will be clearly visible to the user and also since the flange 33of the bearing 32 is transparent, the degree scale 35 and the index mark4201i the liange 41` of the cap 39 will also be clearly visible. Theinner surfaces of the walls of the body 1) may be coated with a suitablelight reecting material, such as white paint or other suitable compound,or if desired, these walls may be covered with a layer of a suitablelight rellecting metallic foil. In order to permit access to theinterior of the body 10, in order to replace the lamp 57 or battery 59,there may be provided a door 62 mounted on the sidewall 13 by hinges 63and secured in closed position by a suitable latch 64. If desired, ofcourse,` the door 62 may be mounted in the wall 14 or other forms ofdoor mounting and securing means may be utilized.

It will be seen that by the above described invention there has beenprovided a relatively simple illuminated leveling instrument which maybe economically manu- .factored and which may be utilized for allmeasuring purposes, of which such instruments are capable and in thedarli` or poor light conditions.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only asindicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An illuminated combination level comprising an elongated hollow bodyhaving top, bottom, side and end walls, a transverse slot in said topwall substantially midway of the length thereof and extending betweenthe side edges of said top wall, a semi-circular opening in the upperedge of each sidewall in alignment with said slot, a plate secured tosaid top wall and closing said slot, a transparent member secured toeach sidewall and closing said semi-circular openings, a viewing slot insaid plate extending longitudinally of said body, a level tube securedto said plate below said viewing slot and in alignment therewith,aligned circular apertures in said sidewalls between said semi-circularopenings and one end of said body, one of said apertures being of largerdiameter, a transparent flanged bearing member fixed in said largeraperture, a degree scale on said flange, a transparent hollow cylinderrotatably mounted in said smaller aperture and said bearing andprojecting outwardly of said bearing, a flanged. cap adjustably securedto the projecting e d of said cylinder, an index mark on the ange ofsaid cap disposed opposite said scale, a diametrically disp level tubemounted in said cylinder substantially midway between said sidewalls, aviewing window in said 'top wall `above said last named level tube,aligned circular apertures in said sidewalls between said semi-circularopenings and the opposite end of said body, a transparent hollowcylinder fixed in said last named apertures, a diametrically disposedlevel tube mounted in said last named cylinder substantially midwaybetween said sidewalls and perpendicular to said bottom wall, viewingwindows closing said last named apertures, a source of illuminationcomprising an electric lamp mounted in said body substantially midway ofthe length thereof, a battery for energizing said lamp and a switch insaid top wall for controlling said lamp, a door in one sidewallproviding access to said lamp and battery and light reflecting means onthe inner surface of said body.

2. A device as dened in claim l, in which said light retlecting meanscomprises a coating of light reecting material.

3. A device as defined in claim l, in which said light reiiecting meanscomprises a layer of light reilecting paper.

4. A device as defined iniclaim l, in which said light reflecting meanscomprises a layer of light reflecting metallic foil.

5. An illuminated combination level comprising an elongated hollow bodyhaving top, bottom, side and end walls, a transverse slot in said topwall substantially midway of the length thereof and extending betweenthe side edges of said top wall, a semi-circular opening in the upperedge of each sidewall in alignment with said slot, a plate secured tosaid top wall and closing said slot, a transparent member secured toeach sidewall and closing said semi-circular openings, a viewing slot insaid plate extending longitudinally of said body, a level tube securedto said plate below said viewing slot and in alignment therewith,aligned circular apertures in said sidewalls between said semi-circularopenings and one end of said body, one of said apertures being of largerdiameter, a transparent ilanged `bearing member fixed in said largeraperture, a degree scale on said flange, a transparent hollow cylinderrotatably mounted in said smaller aperture and said bearing andprojecting outwardly of said bearing, a flanged cap adjustably securedto the projecting end of said cylinder, an index mark on the ange ofsaid cap disposed opposite said scale, a diametrically disposed leveltube mounted in said cylinder substantially midway between saidsidewalls, a viewing window in said top wall above said last named leveltube, aligned circular apertures in said sidewalls between saidsemi-circular openings and the opposite end of said body, a transparenthollow cylinder fixed in said last named apertures, a diametricallydisposed level tube mounted in said last named cylinder substantiallymidway between said sidewalls and perpendicular to said bottom wall,viewing windows closing said last named apertures, a source ofillumination comprising an electric lamp mounted in said bodysubstantially midway of the length thereof., a battery for energizingsaid lamp and a switch in said top wall for controlling said lamp and adoor in one sidewall providing access to said lamp and battery.

6. An illuminated combination level comprising an elongated hollow bodyhaving top, bottom, side and end walls, a transverse slot in said topwall substantially midway of the length thereof and extending betweenthe side edges of said top wall, a semi-circular opening in the upperedge of each sidewall in alignment with said slot, a plate secured tosaid top wall and closing said slot, a transparent member secured toeach sidewall and enclosing said semi-circular openings, a viewing slotin said plate extending longitudinally of said body, a level tubesecured to said plate below said viewing slot and in alignmenttherewith, aligned circular openings in said sidewalls between saidsemi-circular openings and one end of said body, one of said aperturesbeing of larger diameter, a transparent anged bearing member xed in saidlarger aperture, a degree scale on said llange, a transparent hollowcylinder rotatably mounted in said smaller aperture and said bearing andprojecting outwardly of said bearing, a flanged transparent capadjustably secured to the projecting end of said cylinder, an index markon the ange of said cap disposed adjacent said scale, a diametricallydisposed level tube mounted in said cylV inder substantially midwaybetween said sidewalls, a viewing window in said top wall above saidlast named level tube, aligned circular apertures in said sidewallsbetween said semi-circular openings and the opposite end of said body, atransparent hollow cylinder fixed in said last named apertures, adiametrically disposed level tube mounted in said last named cylindersubstantially midway between said sidewalls and perpendicular to saidbottom wall and a source of illumination comprising an electric lampmounted in said body substantially midway of the length thereof and aswitch in said top wall for controlling said lamp.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS948,570 Andersen Feb. 8, 1910 1,001,206 McCullough Aug. 22, 19111,027,533 Finn May 28, 1912 1,036,601 Frank Aug. 27, 1912 1,169,005Caswell et al. Jan. 18. 1916 1,780,253 Volz Nov. 4, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS892,063 Germany Oct. 5, 1953

